Domestic Violence, Hate Crime Stats to be Posted Online

By Jill Colvin

CITY HALL  Hate crime and domestic violence statistics will soon be made public online, thanks to new legislation signed into law Monday.

The data will be posted on the city’s My Neighborhood Statistics website, which currently includes stats on everything from violent crimes and medical emergencies to the number of people receiving food stamps and attendance rates at local schools.

Residents can search by address or sort the numbers by neighborhood, police precinct, school district or community board.

"To not have this information available to the public would mean keeping our residents in the dark," said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in a statement before voting to pass the measure last month.

The move comes after a recent spate in hate crimes across the city, including recent beatings at gay bars.

"In light of the recent hate crimes in the City, any additional data to help understand and fight both hate crimes and domestic violence will be beneficial to individual neighborhoods and the City as a whole," she said.

The new data will include breakdowns of murders and assaults related to domestic violence and hate, and incidents of rape related to domestic violence.

Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, who sponsored both bills,** has said that having the statistics available will help residents and advocates monitor trends.

"This is what technology is for, to make public the good and the bad," Councilwoman Gale Brewer said in a statement.

The laws are set to take effect in 60 days.

**Student Safety Act spearheaded by Make the Road New York (MRNY) and allies.